Now, "possessive" means that...[blinking]...ah, screw it. Can you just write the word "boss" so it's not plural OR possessive?

I'm really starting to question your taste level.

And you still spelled "you're" wrong.

Look, I don't think avoiding the issue is the answer. And stop saying, "Sounds like someone's got a case of the Mondays." That pin was lame in 1982. It's not getting any better.

[sigh] Alright, look, you want to see the perfect cake to get your boss? Something that gets right to the heart of the matter? Something spelled correctly, and conveying just the right amount of gratitude?

Note from John: Yes. Some people accept Bosses Day as correct. However, if you think about the fact that this is a day for either your boss or your bosses, it really should be Boss's Day or Bosses' Day. Of course the original singular possessive of boss was Boss' but I think this hurt our American brains so we added the s. Just make sure you never use Bosseses' Day. bossbossbossbossboss

Ha! Okay, the red stapler and the "case of the Mondays" button? I got both of those in my Office Space (the movie) "Work Sucks" kit from a colleague for Christmas a while back. So if the boss is an Office Space fan, it might be pretty darned funny to him or her!

Das is correct. One of the accepted spellings of the possessive form of singular "boss" is "boss'." Grammar provides an exception to adding an "s" for possessives where the word already ends in an "s." this is not required, though... either "boss'" or "boss's" is acceptable.

But, I am with Scumbag Sam. I think the holiday is stupid. Everyday is boss' day... even Administrative Assistant's Day...

I was under the impression that, when a word ended in 's' it was only necessary to add an apostrophe? For example, "Boss'" ... Though it does look strange. Perhaps I'll just be a good ESL-er and avoid it. I've never been so glad I don't work in a bakery.

"Nappy Boos's Day" would be an appropriate cake for that ridiculous "Bebe's Kids" cartoon. (Which I'd like to go on record as never having watched. It is just part of the popular culture that is undeniably taking up space in my brain.)

I missed the memo! When did we start putting the extra s on after the apostrophe when the word ended in an s? I need to seriously brush up on those grammar rules. Dang. I guess I don't get to feel superior any longer. /sigh/

Whoops.....didn't remember that it was today. The secretary usually remembers to get the principal something and I just give her money...much easier for me that way. Wonder if she remembered about Boss's Day. Hmmmmmmm.....

I love people who are all "that's the END of it. Period." in grammar issues.

Grammar doesn't have very strong laws - it has always changed with the times, just like spelling. Some linguists and grammar books will favor the new, some the old. Everyone can have an opinion, some opinions are supported by authorities on the subject, but nobody can say that something is the only, unquestionable, definite way.

Wikipedia says: Some respected style guides such as The Chicago Manual of Style recommend the more modern addition of an s when forming the singular regular possessive of a noun ending in "s" but specifically state that adding simply an apostrophe (eg. Jesus') is also correct.

The Elements of Style and the Canadian Press Stylebook hold that the s is mandatory with only two exceptions: classical and Biblical proper names (e.g. "Jesus' teachings", "Augustus' guards") and common phrases that do not take the s (e.g. "for goodness' sake"). In all other cases, it is incorrect to omit the s.

I'm an editor and, sadly, it is my job to correct these things until I want to scream or throw something. Boss's is never correct. It is either Boss' day as in your boss is showing ownership or Bosses day as in the day for more than one boss. I think this confuses folks for a number of reasons, not the least of which being we completely ignore grammar education these days. The way we pronounce boss' surely doesn't help matters. I know successful college graduates that do not know the difference in to and too or you're and your. Hmmmm...I love cake and I love being a grammar nazi...I wonder if I could combine the two for a spiffy new career? If the grammar is incorrect, I eat your cake! BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Most of the time, the exceptions endorsed are actually pronounced without the extra "s" (i.e. "Jee-zus name" instead of "Jee-zus-ez name").

It's actually pretty uncommon to find a style guide that allows the "just an apostrophe" approach for a single common noun that ends in only one sibilant, but there are a few.

But in general, "boss's" is never wrong—especially since that's how it's pronounced—and "boss'" (ugh) may be acceptable depending on the style guide, but probably not, being neither a proper noun nor a double-sibilant.

Somewhere in the middle of John's ETA comment I'd read the word boss so many times that it just started to look weird. Now every possible spelling of boss, bosses, etc. looks bizarre. Except for Boos. That one is pretty great.

Oh I feel so bad that I didn't know today was boss's day. I made something special this morning that I would have loved to give that jerk. It would convey not only what I think he is, but also what kind of a boss he is and what he's good for. Did you figure out my riddle?

I know it's been commented a couple of times, but for completeness, here's one more direct quote which is from _The Elements of Style, 4th ed._, although it has appeared in earlier versions as well."1. Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding 's.Follow this rule whatever the final consonant. Thus write, Charles's friend Burns's poems the witch's maliceExceptions are the possessives of ancient proper names ending in -es and -is, the possessive Jesus', and such forms as for conscience' sake, for righteousness' sake."

Reading the comments, I think when we have a grammar discussion, it may be a good idea to indicate our country! Because I was definitely taught no "s" after an apostrophe, EVER, but others are clearly taught differently-- and we both have style guides to back us up. Perhaps it's a British (and thus Canadian and Australian) spelling vs American spelling thing? Sort of like the "u" in humour, favour, neighbour, or metre/meter, etc.

The first cake would work for one of the bosses here, given her last name is Bossé. And I hope the last cake was tasty enough that it worked for them... if competence doesn't work, appeal to your boss' stomach?

This is hilarious! I made a boss's cake last week and there was a HUGE debate in the bakery about how to spell the damn word... I had FOUR different calendars in my department alone that had FOUR different spellings... We decided "Boss's" was correct. lol... They should just rename it something else, like, "Happy Upper Management day" XD

I wonder if the boss on that last cake did have them fired. They did ask so nicely after all lol. I would just forget the boss, bosses ect and give em the darn cake but that is just me being lazy and not wanting a horrible wreck to take to a boss.

Bosse is a legitimate first name/nickname in Sweden...So "Happy Bosse's Day" would be the correct form in English for a day dedicated to someone named Bosse? "Bosses" might also be allowed, if you're allowing mixing Swedish possessive and English...

So. Fabulous. So many opportunities to teach punctuation! Yes, I'm a teacher. In that vein, then, please know that "Alright" is not a word.

Thanks.

PS. Any crusading you could do on the improper use of of the nominative case pronouns, as in "Because of he and I" or "with Becky and I" would be deeply, deeply appreciated. People learn better from mistakes made on cakes. At least, I hope they do, because they aren't getting lessons anywhere else as far as I can tell.

The Office Space cake had so much potential and they really missed out other than just the misspelling. They did good with the red stapler and the piece of flair with the annoying "Mondays" statement, but no Office Space cake is complete unless it says, "don't be greedy, let's pass it along and make sure everyone gets a piece." And placed on a Jump to Conclusions mat, of course! I would love to see a big red cake in the shape of a stapler for an office retirement or going away party! That would be awesome! Amy's WV was perfect for today!

Okay, the uterus cake is pretty inappropriate, but I'm guessing there's some sort of inside joke there. Still, you have to admit - it's a pretty decent rendering of the female anatomy, plus the detail of the shading is quite nice. Honestly, I'm more offended that they went to all that trouble and still used "your" instead of "you're." *sigh*

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